The present invention relates to compression support stocking made of a woven or knit elastic fabric having a compression support body made of a resilient material that can be attached to the compression support stocking.
Compression support stockings are well known in practice, comprised essentially of a knit or woven elastic fabric running the entire length of the leg. Compression stockings and hose are used for various venous diseases, e.g., varicose veins. Compression stockings produce a consistent acceleration of venous blood flow to the heart and eliminate venous congestion. Pathological malfunctioning of venous valves is corrected from the outside through the compression effect, because the pumping action of the calf muscle pump is restored. In addition, this prevents spent blood and tissue fluid from collecting in the tissue and forming congestion, so the tissue is protected from the damage of progressive edema. Compression stockings thus may also be used in the prevention of thrombosis, e.g., after a surgical procedure.
A compression stocking of the aforementioned type is known from German Patent Application No. DE 195 06 128 A1. This published patent application discloses a method of attaching compression bodies to compression stockings. The compression bodies are designed as resilient pressure pads or protective and supporting pads. However, the published patent application does not go into detail about the precise design, the site of attachment or the mechanism of action of the pads or support pads or the range of possible uses of the compression stocking.
In addition, German Patent Application No. DE 43 41 722 A1 describes a compression stocking having an integrated compression body designed as an insert pad for treating lymphostatic fibroses. The pad is formed by a flat resilient foam body having a plurality of elevations and indentations. As the corresponding body part moves, these elevations and indentations produce a mechanical stimulus effect on the pathological tissue, thus permitting or improving the return flow of congested tissue fluid even under pathological conditions.
It has proven to be a disadvantage that the foam material always attempts to return to its original shape due to its very high density and the thickness of material required. Thus, when the foam material is pressed by the surrounding compression stocking against the structure that is to be compressed, a restoring force is created by the foam material, opposing the movement of the respective body part. This greatly restricts the patient's freedom of movement.
European Patent No. EP 27,172 A1 and European Patent No. EP 262,638 A2 both describe a tubular bandage for supporting, i.e., compressing joints. This tubular bandage is pulled over the respective joint in the event of a joint injury. It has a ring-shaped compression insert surrounding the bony projections of the joint. This compression insert exerts pressure on the soft tissue of the joint, thereby producing a mechanical stimulus, which helps to reduce swelling of the injured joint and/or joint soft tissue. These bandages are used after injuries or in degenerative diseases, e.g., when there is damage to the meniscus, in arthrosis and effusion and ligament injuries of the knee joint. The pressure exerted by the bandage is applied exclusively to the compression insert and thus exclusively to the soft tissue of the joint.